


Tumblr Ficlet: Dark and Light

by antheiasilva



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Obi-Wan Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-25 19:53:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17127701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antheiasilva/pseuds/antheiasilva
Summary: You know you are a Star Wars fanfic writer when you find yourself at the grocery store thinking “maybe I can use peppermint bark as a metaphor for the Force?”And then you write a ficlet about tiny Anakin and Obi-Wan and black and white peppermint bark at a Jedi 'midwinter celebration'.





	Tumblr Ficlet: Dark and Light

**Author's Note:**

> For a link to the inspirational peppermint box: https://antheiasilva.tumblr.com/post/181353491823

The mid-winter celebration in the great hall was as bright and colourful as Obi-Wan remembered from his initiate days. Now, however, he stood with the masters, sipping spiced cider and talking in soft tones about katas and study schedules, while Anakin bounced along happily with the other younglings, fingers sticky from craft tables and sweets.

He was in the middle of listening to Quinlan brag about Ayala’s latest duel when he felt a tug on the sleeve of his robe.

“Master Obi-Wan? Master Obi-Wan?”

“Yes, Anakin?” Obi-Wan said, his looking down at his excited and giggling apprentice. Force, were those flecks of gold flimsy in his hair? There was definitely a smear of chocolate on his left cheek. Obi-Wan stifled a sigh. Quinlan shot him a bemused and sympathetic look.

“Hey Kenobi, remember that time I dunked you in a punch bowl?” Quinlan said, winking as he bumped his shoulder against Obi-Wan’s in farewell. Obi-Wan heard the warning loud and clear: _go easy on him._ Qui-Gon’s voice in his head whispered _patience, padawan._ He winced inwardly. His master had always loved midwinter… Simultaneously grateful and annoyed, he arched an eyebrow at Quinlan as he took in Anakin’s wide-eyed stare and mentally prepared himself for recounting the story later. He knew there was no way Anakin was letting that one go.

He crouched down to meet Anakin’s eyes. “What is it, young one?”

Anakin thrust a piece of confectionary at him. It was cream coloured on one side, with flecks of blue, and the other side was a rich brown that had already started to melt. “Look!” his padawan exclaimed.

Obi-Wan’s brow furrowed. He cocked his head to one side and stroked his newly bearded chin. “It’s a piece of candy, Anakin.”

“No! _Look_.” He flipped the piece back and forth, alternating the cream and brown sides.

Obi-Wan stared in confusion.

“Don’t you see, master? It’s _Force candy_!” He grinned, obviously very pleased with himself. “I know it’s called mint…something. I don’t remember, but look! _I_ think we should call it Force candy. Aayla agrees with me, except she said that then we’d have to not eat the dark part, but I disagree because obviously it’s just _candy_ and anyway the chocolate is the best part…”

Obi-Wan started to laugh, only a chuckle at first, hidden behind in his hand, but then the sparks of amusement and fondness touched the tangled mass of grief and worry that he had carried in his chest since Naboo, nearly ten months ago. Soon, he found himself gasping for breath through his laughter, which had taken on the distinctly hysterical edge of relief of someone who was too tightly wound too much of the time.

He blinked back tears and became dimly aware that Anakin had paused mid-explanation of the candy-based force themed game he and another padawan had invented. When Obi-Wan managed to meet his apprentice’s eyes, Anakin was looking at him with a thoughtful smile that wouldn’t have been out of place on his own master’s face. Anakin beamed at him for a moment and then launched himself into Obi-Wan’s arms with a _fwump_.

With no small measure of wonderment and surprise, he returned his padawan’s rib-crushing hug. Tears trickled down his cheeks into his beard and he squeezed his eyes shut against the sting. In a tight voice, he whispered to the top of Anakin’s glittering hair.

“Yes, Anakin, I see.”

 


End file.
